Lloyd "Mr. Personality" Price was an entertainer, entrepreneur, songwriter, trailblazer, and so much more. Here are just some of the standout moments in his remarkable life and career.

  • March 9th, 1933 - Lloyd Price was born in Kenner, Louisiana.
  • 1950 - Price led an R&B vocal group in New Orleans, LA, who wrote and performed commercial jingles for local radio station WBOK, including future hit "Lawdy Miss Clawdy".
  • 1952 - He signed to Specialty Records and re-recorded "Lawdy Miss Clawdy," which rose to number one on the Rhythm & Blues charts, and held the top spot for seven weeks.
  • 1953 - Price was drafted into the Army to fight in the Korean War, putting an abrupt halt to his musical career.
  • 1956 - Upon his discharge from Army, Price discovered Specialty Records had lost interest in him, devoting their time to up and coming artists like Little Richard and Larry Williams (who previously worked as Price’s chauffeur). This encouraged him to tap into his entrepreneurial side, buying back his contract from Speciality and founding his first record company, KRC (Kent Record Company) in Washington, DC. 
  • 1957 - Price released his first single on KRC, a self-authored ballad titled "Just Because". This sparked a fruitful collaboration with ABC-Paramount Records, who distributed the song. It reached No. 3 on the R&B Charts, which helped land Price an official contract with the major label. This would begin the series of national hits Price would release during his time with ABC.
  • 1958 - Price released "Stagger Lee" which immediately shot to No. 1 on the Pop and R&B charts in the US. 
  • 1959 - Price released "Personality" which hit No. 1 on R&B charts and No. 2 on pop charts, earning his professional nickname “Mr. Personality.” 
  • 1959 - "I'm Gonna Get Married" hit No. 1 on R&B charts and N0. 3 on pop charts, but would be his final Pop Top Ten hit. 
  • 1963 -  After Price’s contract with ABC-Paramount Records ended, he shifted his energy towards establishing another record company in New York City called Double-L , with long time friend and promising business partner, Harold Logan. Price’s cover of “Misty” was the record company’s first hit and he signed Falcons vocalist Wilson Pickett for his first solo hit, “If You Need Me”. 
  • 1964 - Price invested in establishing a college scholarship fund for black students
  • 1968-1969 - Price and Logan opened Lloyd Price’s Turntable Club on the site of the formerly well known Birdland jazz club on Broadway, but after they had received numerous threats Logan was shot dead in their office in 1969. Price decided he needed a change of scene and, after temporarily residing in Philadelphia, headed for Nigeria.
  • 1974 - In the wake of Logan’s death, Price made a drastic career change collaborating with boxing promoter Don King to promote Muhammad Ali’s Rumble in the Jungle boxing match. He also helped produce a three-day Zaire Music Festival with King as well with a lineup of James Brown and B. B. King. Price lived in Nigeria from 1979 to 1983. 
  • 1976 - Price formed the LPG label with King, 1976.
  • 1980s - Price invested energy in other entrepreneurial efforts including real estate, establishing two of his own construction companies and developing housing for low income families, as well as ran a limousine company.
  • 1993 - Price toured Europe in 1993 with Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard, and Gary U.S. Bonds.
  • 1994 - Price received the Pioneer Award at the sixth annual Rhythm and Blues Foundation ceremonies in Los Angeles. 
  • 1998 - Lloyd Price was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
  • 2005 - Price performed with soul legends Jerry Butler, Gene Chandler, and Ben E. King on the "Four Kings of Rhythm and Blues" tour.
  • 2007 -  At the age of 74, Price started his own food enterprise, “Lawdy Miss Clawdy Sweet Potato Cookies”, which hosted a line of exclusively sweet potato products including cereal bars, cheesecakes, and cereals. 
  • 2009 - He published an autobiography, Lawdy Miss Clawdy: The True King of the 50’s, written with William E. Waller.
  • 2010 - Price was inducted into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame.
  • 2015 - Price published a series of essays titled Sumdumhonky.
  • 2017 - Price released his last album, This Is Rock and Roll.
  • May 3, 2021 - Price passed away at the age of 88.